Pros and cons on abductions

by [email protected] 

Jathika Hela Urumaya Deputy Secretary Udaya Gammanpila claims that the underworld has grown out of proportion as a result of the LTTE supplying weapons. He charges that the underworld is responsible for abductions. Leader of the Western People's Front (WPF) and Member of Parliament Mano Ganesan says that abductions have been sponsored by the Government.

Q: What is the truth of accusing the Government about the disappearances and abductions?

U.G.: There is no truth at all about such accusations. The Government does not want to abduct people when there are strong anti terrorist regulations. So, we need special laws to curb the subversive activities of the LTTE. Already the Government has formulated laws such as Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations.

So when the Government is fully equipped with legal teeth, why should the security forces engage in abducting persons to curb terrorism? Actually who are these abductors?

As a result of the war, there is a free flow of weapons. The LTTE sells weapons to the underworld. After dissolving 6,000 Karuna cadres, those weapons also came to the hands of underworld figures.

So they are taking ransom by abducting persons. Police have arrested some of them recently. But LTTE sympathisers and NGOs are trying to tell the world that the Government is involved in such abductions.

M.G.: As the convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission and leader of the WPF and Member of Parliament, I clearly state that there are abductions and disappearances in Colombo, suburb and the North and East (NE) areas.

I have recorded 100 such incidents which have happened in Colombo and suburbs during the last 12 months. We have photographs, birth certificates, marriage certificates, police complaints, complaints to the Human Rights Commissions of such missing persons. As far as the NE is concerned, there are about 700 such cases.

Q: Inspector General of Police Victor Perera said that certain groups are trying to discredit the Government and sought the public support to nab members of such groups. Who are these groups?

U.G.: The LTTE is now lobbying the international forces to directly intervene in the Sri Lankan conflict. Specially the oil hungry Western world wants to divide Sri Lanka to exploit our resources. So the LTTE is creating the atmosphere for western powers to come in. Exaggerating human rights violation is part of that process.

The TNA and the UNP too contribute to that by accusing the Government. The LTTE is very clever in submissive activities in the South. They killed Sinhala and Tamil leaders, senior Army officers, attack on the Airport, oil refinery, etc in the south. Pro LTTE media exaggerate the abduction issues.

In addition, with or without the knowledge of certain political parties, media organisations, academics and experts are working for the LTTE agenda. These forces are very critical about present anti terrorist laws. They claim that these laws restrict the freedom of expression, but right to life is more important.

The USA introduced the Patriotic Act which restricted personal rights with a view to ensure the right to life after the September 11 attack. This is not something novel or innovative work of the Sri Lankan Government but it is practising what is done the world over including USA. If anyone has credible information, why don't they disclose them to Police?

M.G.: I regret very much regarding the knowledge of the IGP. I treat that as a political statement which compelled him to say so to save his position. We have documented details of 100 persons.

Last week we found five dead bodies in Pamunugama and another five in Thirappene with gun shots. One dead body was floating in the Kelani river. Another body has found in Ambalangoda. I wonder how the IGP of Sri Lanka is coming out with such a childish statement.

However, any elected Government has a duty to protect its citizens and maintain law and order. Abductions and disappearances cannot be tolerated. The Colombo city is protected by many security barricades.

I welcome that because then we can secure the properties and people. I don't want bombs to go off and any assassination. I should make it very clear, some people blame me that I speak for the LTTE but I don't. I speak for my people.

We recorded 75 abduction cases in Colombo city. But, white vans have never been taken into custody with victims at any check points. One or two such vans can escape. But can you imagine how 75 vans passed through these check points?

Q: The IGP said that the police arrested 19 people who were involved in abduction and found that they were having connection with the LTTE. So, can we blame the Police?

U.G.: The Police find it extremely difficult to handle the underworld today as it has grown out of proportion due to the weapons supplied to the underworld figures by the LTTE. But gradually Police will able to crackdown on the underworld.

M.G.: The IGP may be suffering from the LTTE phobia like Mr.Gammanpila. I am not trying to give character certificate to the LTTE because they were involved in criminal and terrorist activities. But we can't put all these abductions to the LTTE's account.

Kotahena Police arrested a person when he tried to collect four million ransom on 29th, September, 2006 near the Samantha Theatre. Two ladies identified him and it was revealed that he had collected eight million rupees from them. What has happened to him? He is still with the CID. Why do the CID still fail to produce him in Courts.

The IGP is duty bound to inform people about that man.

Q: Do you think that the LTTE front organisations such as NGOs and INGOs had any hand in influencing 38 US Congressmen and senators to pressurize President George Bush to appoint a special envoy and European Union to bring a resolution against Sri Lanka?

U.G.: Of course such pro LTTE NGOs were involved in that effort. I am surprised about the duplicity of the USA because they vowed to defeat terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq.

At the same time they suggested to us to have a negotiated settlement with terrorists. It is true that we must listen to the Tamil leaders but not to terrorists. I am surprised at the American Ambassador's statement that he expects the APRC would come out with a political solution where devolution goes beyond the 2000 draft Constitution.

He should not tell us how to draft our Constitution. India learnt a bitter lessen when they forced on us a solution in 1987.

M.G.: I don't subscribe to that statement that the LTTE's strength is NGO and INGOs. It is an opinion expressed by certain quarters who advocate the war like Mr. Gammanpila. So I differ with that opinion.

Q: The Government has launched a military operation to eradicate terrorism. So the best way to stop any more military operation is to bring disrepute to the Government on human rights violations. Is this a part of the LTTE strategy to stop military operations on them?

U.G.: The LTTE was never a powerful organisation militarily. There was no continuous war for 30 years. During the war they were weakened and during the peace they regrouped.

When they are about to face humiliating defeat, LTTE front NGOs make big hue and cry and get international forces to pressurise the Government to go for a ceasefire. During the ceasefire they collect funds, capture territory, procure arms, recruit boys, etc. That is the LTTE strategy.

That is what they did in 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994 as well as in 2001. But when 40,000 soldiers got caught in May, 2000 during the LTTE's offensive to capture Jaffna, neither International Community nor NGO or INGOs pressurised the LTTE to go for a ceasefire.

We could have lost the lives of 40,000 soldiers unless Pakistan and Czech Republic helped us with military equipment. Ceasefires as well as peace process bias towards the LTTE. It serves the objectives of the LTTE. It is our duty to identify pro LTTE NGOs and deal with them severely.

M.G.: According to former Minister Sripathi Suriyaarachchi there is complicity between the Government and the LTTE on military operations. The LTTE has been informed to withdraw from the area when the Government troops engage in military action.

So people who wanted to know about the war situation can get the answers from the Government itself.

Q: Is the LTTE attempt to get down UN peacekeeping force to Sri Lanka excessabating large scale human rights violations?

U.G.: Where ever UN peacekeepers went they divided nations. It happened in Cyprus, Kosovo and Palestine. UN peacekeepers rather than achieving peace in those countries, they divided countries into pieces.

Unfortunately United Nations lost its credentials as an international body. During the post cold war, UN functions as a facilitator for the interest of the Western power.

More than achieving world peace and improve the mutual respect among nations, the UN has become a rubber stamp of western powers to justify the atrocities of the powerful nations. Whoever who proposes to bring the UN forces are the people who want to divide Sri Lanka.

M.G.: Since we failed to solve our problems ourselves, now it has gone out of bounce. That is why the foreign countries had to involve in the Ceasefire Agreement. However, today we have three major issues to face such as ethnic, war and human right issues.

As far as the ethnic issue is concerned, we are prepared to discuss it. The JHU and JVP are for a unitary state. I am for a federal structure within one country. Some are for confederation. As far as human rights are concerned, may I ask Mr. Gammanpila whether he is trying to justify the abductions, extortions, ransoms and assassinations? These are crimes against society.

Under any circumstances nobody can permit human rights violations. I request Mr.Gammanpila and company and even the JVP to avoid using the war to justify human right violations.

Q: According to statistics about 6000 children have been abducted by the LTTE. Why are human rights activists and peace promoters not agitating over this issue urging the LTTE to release these children?

U.G.: It clearly shows his duplicity. He is protected by the Sri Lankan forces although he is fighting against them. That is the beauty of the Sri Lankan soldiers. They protect their enemy.

I feel sorry for Mr.Ganesan because he can only express what he is permitted to say by the LTTE. His situation is pathetic. I can understand his situation. He is not shouting for the protection of others lives but fighting for the survival and protection of his own life.

M.G.: I am an MP for Colombo District. I am directly responsible for my voters in Colombo. Logically I am unable to travel to the North and East (NE). Even TNA MPs are in Colombo due to transport and security problems.

Due to logistical reasons we are unable to get first hand information on the North and East. Even on the abduction in the NE, we get third party information. But in Colombo we directly get such information because people come and complain to us.

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"Flying into danger"

In our column "Face-2-Face" of the Sunday Observer of 4.3.2007, under the headline "Flying into Danger", it was inadvertently reported that Mr. A. Vinayagamoorthy, President of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress as having said "Seventeen aid workers were killed in a crossfire" whereas it should have been "Seventeen aid workers were killed by the Army and that the LTTE was nowhere there".

The error is regretted - Editor.